Shoprite: Govt pleads for amicable solution
The labour ministry has called for an urgent and amicable solution to the labour dispute pitting Shoprite Namibia and its striking workers.
“The ministry directs the negotiating parties to make tangible efforts to resolve the current stalemate in a mutually beneficial and respectful manner and urges both parties to continue negotiating in an open, transparent and genuine manner,” the ministry’s executive director Bro-Mathew Shinguadja said in a statement.
Shinguadja said the ministry remains accessible and available to both parties for consultation and guidance, while the conciliator remains seized with the matter as legally prescribed.
On 23 December last year, a total of 2 042 workers went on strike after they could not reach an agreement for better pay and benefits with their employer.
The workers are still on strike after Shoprite took a stand on its position that they will only offer the workers an increment between 5% and 10%, without any added benefits.
The workers have been demanding a salary increment of N$600, a housing allowance of N$450 and transport allowance of N$500. Documents filed before court show that most of the workers are employed on a temporary basis for extended periods, ranging up to more than 10 years.
These temporary workers are paid between N$300 and N$400 per week.
This amounts to a monthly salary of between N$1 200 and N$1 600 on five-day work basis.
The permanent workers are paid between N$2 000 and N$3 000 per month.
The employees do not receive transport allowance nor is transport provided by the company.
They also do not receive any benefits such as housing allowance or medical aid.
This has led to an attempt by the striking workers last week in Windhoek, Oshakati and Walvis Bay to close Shoprite outlets, resulting in a scuffle between the demonstrators and police in Oshakati.
Currently the two parties are battling a court case in which Shoprite is seeking a court order that will prohibit the striking workers from interfering with
its business operations.
Shoprite is also seeking an order that will restrict striking workers to protest 50 metres away from its business premises.
The workers have filed a counter application, claiming Shoprite violated the court order issued on 8 January by the Labour Court.
The order stipulates that Shoprite may not make use of seasonal workers or any of its management team to carry out duties of workers engaged in the current strike.
The workers are now seeking an order that declares Shoprite to be in contempt of court, convicted on such an offence and fined.
The hearing for this case is set to take place on 26 January.